Show Selection: |
#6788 (Received by flhurricane at: 4:44 AM 31.Aug.2004) TCPAT1 BULLETIN HURRICANE FRANCES ADVISORY NUMBER 26 NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 5 AM AST TUE AUG 31 2004 ...CATEGORY THREE FRANCES CONTINUING WESTWARD TRACK NORTH OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS... AT 5 AM AST...0900Z...THE GOVERNMENT OF THE BAHAMAS HAS ISSUED A HURRICANE WATCH FOR THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS. AT 5 AM AST...0900Z...THE GOVERNMENT OF ANTIGUA HAS DISCONTINUED THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING FOR ANTIGUA...BARBUDA...ST. KITTS...AND NEVIS. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING LEEWARD ISLANDS...ST MAARTEN...ANGUILLA...ST. EUSTATIUS...SABA... GUADELOPUPE...AND ALSO FOR PUERTO RICO...CULEBRA... VIEQUES AND THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS OF ST. THOMAS...ST. JOHN AND SURROUNDING ISLANDS...AND FOR THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ST. MARTIN... ST. BARTHELEMY...AND ST. CROIX...AND FOR THE NORTHERN COAST OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC FROM MANZANILLO BAY EASTWARD TO CABO ENGANO. AT 5 AM AST...0900Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE FRANCES WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 19.9 NORTH...LONGITUDE 62.8 WEST OR ABOUT 125 MILES... 205 KM...NORTH OF ST. MARTIN IN THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS. FRANCES IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 15 MPH...24 KM/HR. A GRADUAL TURN TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. ON THIS TRACK...THE CORE OF THE HURRICANE WILL PASS TO THE NORTH OF THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS AND VIRGIN ISLANDS TODAY. HOWEVER...THE OUTER BANDS OF FRANCES WILL BEGIN AFFECTING THESE ISLANDS TODAY. REPORTS FROM AN AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT INDICATE THAT MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 125 MPH...205 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 70 MILES...110 KM... FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 175 MILES...280 KM. THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY THE HURRICANE HUNTER IS 949 MB...28.02 INCHES. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES...LOCALLY HIGHER...ARE LIKELY OVER PORTIONS OF THE WARNING AREA IN ASSOCIATION WITH FRANCES. REPEATING THE 5 AM AST POSITION...19.9 N... 62.8 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...WEST NEAR 15 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...125 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 949 MB. FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE. AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 8 AM AST FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 11 AM AST. FORECASTER BEVEN |